VOSGES - Cols de la Chipotte - Chapelotte - Col du Donon
- by Pierre Grande Guerre
- •
- 12 Aug, 2019
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Year of visit: 2008 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012
Col de la Chipotte (458 m.)
At the northern side of the road stands this memorial to commemorate:
Marchand was a famous French military explorer, involved in the African Fashoda-Incident of 1898 in what is now Sudan, being a Major in command of 150 French Colonial riflemen. Later on, during his career in the Great War, Marchand even became a General on 20 February 1915.
In September 1914 Jean-Baptiste Marchand commanded the 2me Brigade Coloniale, still being a Colonel. Colonel Marchand was wounded on the slopes of la Chipotte on 1 October 1914 by the impact of a shell.
On the
rear
side of the
memorial, another
plaque:
The Battle of the Haute Meurthe - Mortagne (25 August - 11 September 1914)
After the first successes of the French 1st and 2nd Army in Alsace Lorraine, the Germans decided to counterattack the two French Armies. On 20 August 1914 Crown Prince Rupprecht von Bayern's 6th Army attacked General Castelnau's 2nd Army. From Morhange and Dieuze the Bavarian Army attacked Nancy, Dombasles, and Lunéville. Between 21 and 23 August the Second Army of General Castelnau was forced to retreat to the Grand Couronné near Nancy and to the valleys of the Mortagne and the Meurthe.
On 24 August the Bavarian 6th Army was also advancing to a gap in the French front, a front line without fortresses around Charmes, called the "Trouée des Charmes". This was also the sector where the French 2nd Army linked up with the General Dubail's 1st Army. During the Battle for the Trouée des Charmes from 24 until 26 August 1914, it took the French 2nd Army much effort to withstand these German attacks.
Also on 24 August General von Heeringen's 7th Army launched, south of the Trouée des Charmes, the Battle of the Haute Meurthe - Mortange, at three mountain passes in the Northern Vosges, on the left flank of General Dubail's 1st Army. These passes were important roads to the west for the advancing Germans. Von Heeringen's plan was to conquer Saint Dié des Vosges.
General von Heeringen's 7th Army attacked on 24 August successfully the pass of the Col du Donon. On the 26th the Germans attacked the Col de la Chapelotte. The French were forced to withdraw. Between 24 August and 5 September the Germans tried to conquer the Col de la Chipotte. The French forced them back to the eastern slopes of the Col de la Chapelotte about 9 September, assisted by the retreat of von Heeringen to the new front line, west of Saales. This front line, symbolised on the coloured map below with a closed red line, would stay in a "stalemate"-situation from 1915 until 1918.
3. German retreat around Nancy
In the meantime the Battle for the Grand Couronné, which started at 31 August, was not successful at all for the German 6th Army. At 11 September the Germans decided to withdraw the 6th Army. Under pressure of General's Foch's 20th Army Corps the Germans retreated from Nancy to behind the German border of 1871-1918. (Read for more details of this Lorraine battle my near future Photo Impression; "The Gap of Charmes").
Some military historians comment that the results of the Battles of the Grand Couronné and of the Battle of the Haute Meurthe - Mortange were of great importance, and that these battles had a decisive influence on the results of the Battle of the Marne of 5 - 10 September 1914.
At the southern side of the junction at the Col de la Chipotte, stands this memorial, a Poilu in front of a jetty, symbolising the stubborn resistance of the 86th Light Infantry Brigade or 86e Brigade Chasseurs à Pied.
Notice the Chasseur à Pied in a 1914 style battledress.
The La Chipotte National Cemetery contains the graves of 1,899 soldiers. 893 Of these soldiers are buried in 2 ossuairies.
The cemetery contains the graves of Chasseurs à Pied, soldiers of Colonial Infantry Regiments, Engineers, and soldiers of (Territorial) Infantry Regiments, who died in this front sector of la Chipotte.
The ossuary on the right contains the mortal remains of 349 unknown soldiers, and 3 known soldiers.
The ossuary on the left contains the relics of 542 unknown soldiers, and 11 known soldiers.
The French soldiers called la Chipotte "Le Trou de l 'Enfer", the Hell Hole.
At the end of the cemetery, in the left corner, stands a memorial in the shape of a broken column, ...
... in honour of the light infantry battalions, the "Bataillons Chasseurs", and the infantry regiments, which fought here on the slopes of la Chipotte.
With a last view over the cemetery we depart for the Col de la Chapelotte.
Some 500 m. more westward we arrive at the 363e R.I. Memorial.
... this after-war demarcation stone, presenting the most forward advance of the Germans, north of Badonviller.
From the eastern edge of the village of Badonviller we approach the Col de la Chapelotte, along the D 992, to find this memorial, on the northern side of the road.
On the col, along the south side of the road, we find this demarcation stone, symbolising the most forward advance of the Germans in this front sector.
On the north side of the col is another memorial:
The memorial is located in front of this former gateway to the Chapel grounds.
Mr. Cartier-Bresson (Paris, 1852 - Nancy, 1921) was an industrialist and Mayor of nearby Celles-sur-Plaine, who received during the war the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d'Honneur for his attitude (i.e., closing down his cotton factories in occupied Celles-sur-Plaine from August 1914 until 1918.) He was the father of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the founding father of modern photojournalism.
A view of the
interior
of the
Chapel.
We cross the road again, to the southern side, to find some relics of a trench behind the demarcation stone.
The fountain has been built during the war by the 338e Infantry Regiment "Pionniers", engineers.
From here leads a path, the GR 533, the "Sentier des Roches", or the Path of the Rocks southward to La Grotte des Poilus.
"THE CAVE OF THE POILUS
BEING A NATURAL COMPOUND CAVE, THIS SITE WAS EXPLOITED AS A DRESSING STATION DURING THE BATTLES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR BY THE 43th TERRITORIAL INFANTRY REGIMENT (from Epinal), WHICH SERVED IN THIS AREA OF LA CHAPELOTTE DURING THE FOUR YEARS OF THIS CONFLICT.
1914 FORMED THE YEAR OF TAKING POSITIONS IN THE LINES.
IN 1915 IT FORMED THE AREA OF THE FIRST OFFENSIVES WITH USE OF FLAMETHROWERS.
NEXT THE MINE WARFARE STARTED, WHERE SAPPERS AND TUNNELERS OF 2 SIDES DUG CORRIDORS DAY AND NIGHT, SOMETIMES VERY DEEP, UNDER THE LINES TO FILL THESE TUNNELS WITH EXPLOSIVES.
PASSER-BY, RESPECT THIS AREA, WHICH WITNESSED CRUEL FIGHTS."
This rock near the entrance of the cave served as a shelter. The 43me R.I.T. has even constructed a support for the rock.
The relics of a concrete anti-tank wall, constructed by the Germans, guard the village.
... we find another silent witness of the German presence in the village.
The headstone for two soldiers, fallen in the spring of 1915; A soldier of the Ersatz-Bataillon 99, and a medic.
From Allarmont we depart to the Col du Donon. We are now in the 1915-1918 front sector of the Bavarian "Donon Brigade".
The
Bavarian "Donon Brigade"
The 84 Landwehr Brigade was deployed in Alsace. The brigade was originally the 'acting' 84 Infantrie Brigade, renamed Brigade Neuber September 1914, and again renamed 84 Landwehr Infantrie Brigade on January 1915 in the Donon(Vosges) sector. Again re-designated Donon Brigade until April 1915, and re-designated Sector Plaine 1915-18. It was last re-designated Sector Mailly from April 1918. The men in the period photo are Bavarian Landsturm members of the 4th Komp. Landsturm Inf. Batl. Kempten, 84. Landwehr Brigade, photographed on 13 Mai 1915. The event appears to be a commemoration of awards received. The officer third from left wearing the M1910 schirmmutze appears to have been awarded the Bavarian Militärverdienstkreuz 1. klasse mit schwertern. Military Merit Cross 1st Class with swords. The enlisted man at far left is decorated with the Bavarian Militärverdienstkreuz 3. klasse mit schwertern. Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with swords. Awards with swords were authorized to distinguish wartime awards in 1891. The Lance Corporal third from right is decorated with the Bavarian Militärverdienstkreuz 3. klasse mit schwertern and crown. The crown could be used for a second award to an NCO or soldier who had been previously been awarded the medal and whose rank precluded award of a higher class, or to recognize greater merit. The Bavarian Militärverdienstkreuz became Bavaria's main decoration for bravery and merit by enlisted soldiers in World War I, roughly equivalent to Prussia's Iron Cross, which became the general gallantry award of the Geman Empire. Information: Courtesy of George Wylie, U.S.A. - Period photos in this frame: Courtesy of George Wylie, U.S.A. and Sam Wouters, Belgium. |
We continue along the D 992, and turn left on the D 392 to approach the Col du Donon from the west.
From the west of the Col the first view of the Donon mountain (1.008 m.).
Teleview of the summit of the Donon. The view of the original Roman Temple (!) on the left has been wasted by this ugly modern communications tower.
At the southern side of the pass lies the Nécropole Nationale du Donon, which we visited in 2008.
The ossuary on the left side of the memorial contains the relics of 110 unknown soldiers of the 17e, 20e and 21e Bataillons Chasseurs à Pied.
The ossuary on the right contains the mortal remains of 71 unknown soldiers of the 17e, 21e, 110e Infantry Regiments, and the 11e Regiment Engineers.
Thick, grey clouds would soon cover the mountain landscape and the Col du Donon in a thick fog. Alas we were forced to abandon our explorations for this day in 2008.
But whenever we are in the Vosges, we visit again the Donon. In 2011 the Donon formed our point of departure for our visit to the Nécropole Nationale de Wisches.
Almost hidden in the Schirmeck forest, west of Hersbach and Wisches lies this extraordinary Nécropole Nationale de Wisches.
The Nécropole Nationale de Wisches contains the human remains of 504 soldiers. 444 Of these soldiers are buried in 2 ossuaires. The other men are buried in 60 individual graves. Most men buried here are victims of the combats at the Donon of 19-24 August 1914.
This military cemetery is extraordinary for its remarkable headstones, ...
... which I only have seen once elsewhere along the front, to honour civilian war victims.
(See my near future photo impression about Gerbéviller, the Gap of Charmes, Lorraine.)
The headstones are in the shape of a sword in blue horizon, decorated with a lion's head and a laurel branch of honour at the foot.
The image once apparent in the Cross of Merit (right photo) of the symbol of France, “Marianne”, has been lost by weathering over time, alas.
"Le Souvenir Français", "The French Remembrance", is an official French, and also a private, association, which since 1887 has been responsible for creating and maintaining the majority of the war memorials in France.
The southern ossuary (left) contains the human remains of: "105 UNKNOWN FRENCH SOLDIERS OF THE 17e -21e - 23e - 109e - 170e R.I. and 17e- 20e - 26e - 57e B.C.P."
The northern ossuary contains the human remains of: "168 UNKNOWN FRENCH SOLDIERS OF THE 17e -21e - 23e - 109e - 170e R.I. and 17e - 20e - 26e - 57e B.C.P."
Most men buried here are victims of the combats at the Donon of 19-24 August 1914.
On the next page we will return to the Donon and we will continue with a visit to the many trenches, German bunkers and other concrete relics at the foot of the Donon.
Inleiding: Franz Von Papen & Werner Horn; schaker en pion
Onlangs stuitte ik in een oud boek (1) van 1919 op een opmerkelijk verhaal over een Duitse Luitenant, die in begin februari 1915 een half geslaagde bomaanslag pleegt op een spoorbrug over een grensrivier tussen de Verenigde Staten en Canada. Ook al staat de bekentenis van de dader, Werner Horn, deels in het boek te lezen, de naam van zijn opdrachtgever zal Horn blijven verzwijgen. Na wat verder zoeken vond ik ook de naam van Horn’s opdrachtgever, Franz von Papen, een van de aangeklaagden van het latere Neurenberg Proces in 1946.
In een Grote Oorlog als de Eerste Wereldoorlog is Horn’s aanslag op de brug uiteraard slechts een bescheiden wapenfeit. Toch vermoed ik dat dit relatief onbekende verhaal, dat de geschiedenis is ingegaan als de “ Vanceboro International Bridge Bombing ”, nog interessante kanten kent. Het is onder andere een spionageverhaal over hoe in een groter plan een sluwe schaker zijn naïeve pion offert.
Beknopte situatieschets Canada en de Verenigde Staten in 1915
This trip we start at the Léomont near Vitrimont and we will with some exceptions concentrate on the Battle of Lorraine of August-September 1914 in the area, called, the “Trouée de Charmes”, the Gap of Charmes.
After the Léomont battlefield we continue our explorations to Friscati hill and its Nécropole Nationale. Next we pay a visit to the battlefield of la Tombe to go on to the Château de Lunéville. There we cross the Vezouze to move on southward to the Bayon Nécropole Nationale. At Bayon we cross the Moselle to pass Charmes for the panorama over the battlefield from the Haut du Mont. North-west of Charmes we will visit the British Military Cemetery containing 1918 war victims. From Charmes we go northward to the battlefield of the First French Victory of the Great War, the Battle of Rozelieures of 25 August 1914. North of Rozelieures we will visit the village of Gerbéviller. From there we make a jump northward to visit the ruins of Fort de Manonviller to finish with an interesting French Dressing Station bunker, west of Domjevin.
During this visit, we try to focus on the day that the momentum of the battle switched from the French side to the advantage of the Bavarian side: the day of 20 August 1914, when the Bavarians rapidly re-conquered the territory around Morhange , being also the day of the start of their rather successful “Schlacht in Lothringen”.
We will visit beautiful landscapes of the "Parc Naturel Régional de Lorraine", memorials, ossuaries, and cemeteries. Sometimes we will divert to other periods of the Great War, honouring Russian and Romanian soldiers, who died in this sector. We start our route at the border village of Manhoué, and via Frémery, Oron, Chicourt, Morhange, Riche, Conthil, Lidrezing, Dieuze, Vergaville, Bidestroff, Cutting, Bisping we will finish in Nomeny and Mailly-sur-Seille, where the Germans halted their advance on 20 August 1914, and where they constructed from 1915 some interesting bunkers.
